The present invention relates generally to a valve assembly and more particularly to a flapper valve assembly in a valve plate for a piston compressor.
Typically, a valve plate is attached to a compressor cylinder block and has intake and discharge ports to the cylinder. The intake valve is mounted on the underside of the valve plate while the discharge valve is located on the top surface of the valve plate.
Typically, reed valves are used to regulate intake and discharge port openings in alternative fashion where each port requires a separate valve. The reed valves themselves are generally made of thin, resilient metal leaves and are held in place in a cantilever fashion by rivets, small screws, or by other suitable clamping means.
A reed valve assembly is known in U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,490 in which the reed valve arrangement has a base formed by two rigid members between which an intermediate portion of the reed is sandwiched. One of the rigid members has a downstream facing seat for the intake port, while the other of the rigid members has a downstream facing seat for the discharge port. This arrangement allows for a single reed to be utilized wherein one free end thereof acts as an intake valve member, while the other free end serves as a discharge valve member.
Material requirements for the above-mentioned arrangement are extensive since two valve plates are used with the reed member sandwiched between the two base members. The recesses of the base member must then be manufactured in complimentary fashion in order for the need to flex freely within the recess.